Lesson North America
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Pre-reading Activity
North America's varied landscape features many natural wonders. It has deep canyons, such as
Copper canyon in the Mexican state of Chihuahua. Denali (Mt. Mckinley), the continent's highest peak
stands at 6,194 m within Denali National Park and preserve in the US state of Alaska. Yellowstone
National Park in the US states of Wyoming, Montana, and Idaho, has some of the world's most active
geysers. Canada's Bay of Fundy has the greatest tidal ranges in the world. The great lakes form the
planet's largest area of fresh water. The Mississippi river at 3, 730 km long, is one of the longest river
systems in the world and drains all or parts of 31 US states.
National Geography
Does Nepal have such varied landscape? If yes, mention them.
Reading
North America is the third largest
continent. It covers 2, 47, 20,000
sq. km of area. It lies between 80
and 820 N latitudes and 520 and
172º W longitudes. The Panama
Canal separates the southern part
from the South America and Asia
from Bering Strait in the north-
west. Pacific and Atlantic Ocean
encircle the continent from other
directions. It stretches from the
tropical zone (Torrid Zone) to the
cold region (frigid region). Hence,
the continent has a diversified
climate, flora and fauna.
This region is also known as the new
world because before Christopher
Columbus’s discovery in 1492,
the continent was unknown to
Europe. The native people of
this continent are the Eskimos,
Inuits and Red Indians. After its
discovery, Europeans migrated
to Americas, and they gradually
moved towards western frontiers.
Later on, people from other continents—Asia and Africa—also migrated and settled here.
These days, North America has more migrant people than natives. The population of
the continent is about 565 million. Geographically, this region can be divided into three
regions: Western Mountain Region, Central Lowlands and Eastern Highlands.
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a. Western Mountain Region
The western part of North America is
mountainous which runs from Alaska in the
north to the Panama Canal in the south. It is
called the Rocky Mountain Ranges, which is
4800 km in length. Rocky mountains are part of
a long series of parallel mountain ranges called
cordilleras. The ranges consist of different land
forms like plateaus, valleys, plains and gorges. Rocky mountain
Mt. McKinley/ Denali (6194m) is the highest
peak in North America. The Sierra Madre mountain ranges stretch from the south-
west united states to Honduras. Grand Canyon (1800m) is the deepest gorge of the
region. The Death Valley on the banks of the Colorado River also lies in this region.
b. Central Lowland Prairies grassland
It runs from Hudson Bay in the north to the Gulf
of Mexico in the south. The majority of areas
consist of river basins around the Mississippi
river and its tributaries. This land is called
prairie grassland which is also known as the
“breadbasket of North America". It is because
this region produces a large amount of wheat
and other food grains. The northern part, which
lies in Canada, is drier than southern part.
c. The Eastern Highlands Appalachian mountain
This region consists of Greenland in the north,
the Canadian Shield including the Laurentian
Shield in the middle and the Appalachian
mountain range in the south. The main
land forms of this region are in the south.
Coastal areas of the Canadian shield and the
Appalachian Mountain Range have plain areas
with high population density and city areas.
Rivers and Lakes
Many rivers originate from the
Rocky Mountain and flow towards
the east through fertile plain lands.
In the west of Rocky Mountain,
rivers are shorter and swift-flowing.
The major rivers that flow through
the middle of the region are the Great lakes Niagara Falls
Mississippi and the Missouri. Some
rivers in the northern parts flow towards the north and end in the North Sea and the
Hudson Bay. Lake Superior, Lake Erie, Lake Huron, Lake Michigan, Lake Ontario are
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the major lakes. These lakes are also called the great lakes. Some other lakes are Great
Bear, Great slave, Winnipeg, Nipigon and Great salt. The famous Niagara Falls is created
between Lake Eire and Lake Ontario. There are some glacial lakes in the northern side.
Climate
The continent has different climate belts. The southern part has hot climate, the middle or
central plain land has the desert-type of climate whereas in the northern side, there is cold
climate. The coastal region in the south, west and east has hot and humid climate. Being
a vast land, the central region has extreme-type of climate; temperature also fluctuates
significantly. The grassland, called prairies, has temperate grassland climate. The western
part such as California receives rainfall in the winter season due to western wind. The
south-east part of the USA receives rainfall in the summer season with thunderstorms.
There is desert in the south-west of the USA because it receives nominal amount of rainfall
or no rainfall at all. It is known as the Sonoran desert. But these days, people produce
oranges in this desert area largely due to the irrigation canal built in the Sacramento River.
Vegetation
The vegetation system is greatly affected by climate. The southern part, around the Gulf
of Mexico has evergreen thick forest; there is temperate deciduous forest in the south-east
and areas around the St. Lawrence river. Vast grassland (prairies) stretches in the middle
part or the Central Lowland Region. In the northern side, there is Tundra vegetation due
to extreme cold and humid climate. Just below it there is coniferous evergreen forest called
the Taiga. The forest gradually disappears towards the north as the temperature cools
down and the frigid zone begins. There are varieties of forest, wild animals and birds in
the continent. Canada lies mostly in the temperate and cold climate zones whereas the
USA has hot, cold and temperate climates. Mexico experiences hot and humid climate in
general. Other small countries and island states have moderate climate, favourable for
human settlement.
Glossary
native - born in a particular area; indigenous
frontier - border
glacial - relating to glaciers; very cold
coniferous - having cones
In-class Activity
Locate the following on the outline map of North America:
the Panama canal, Gulf of Mexico, Mississippi River, Lake Superior, Lake Eire, the Rocky
Mountain range, Hudson Bay, Grand Canyons, Laurentian Shield, wheat production area,
Los Angeles, Montreal, New York, Washington D.C, Appalachian, St Lawrence River, Niagara
Falls, Mt. Logan, Mt. Elbert, Mt Whitney, Death valley, Taiga Region, Area of winter rainfall
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Exercise
A. Write short answers to the following questions.
1. Give the facts for the following about North America. Also include names.
(wherever necessary)
A rea Population
Longitudes Latitudes
Famous Lakes Gulfs
Desert area Gorges
2. What kind of climate is generally found in North America? Explain.
3. Describe the main geographical regions of North America.
4. Describe the vegetation of North America.
5. What do you mean by prairies? Write down its three major uses.
6. The northern coniferous forest of North America is a boon to the continent.
Justify the statement.
7. Identify the major areas of North America that are frequently affected by the
hurricane.
8. Give geographical reasons for the following statements:
a. There is high population density in the St. Lawrence area.
b. The south-west California is a dry area.
c. There is coniferous forest in Canada.
d. The Rocky Mountain Range is far ahead from tourism perspective.
Self-discovery: Project Work
Make a short “Country Profile” of any two countries of North America. Include
information about location, area, population size, lifestyles, climate zones, and major
economic activities. For this, you will have to consult the atlas, the Internet, and, of
course, your teacher to get necessary information.
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Lesson Social and Economic
6.11 Activities of North
America
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Pre-reading Activity
How many countries are there in North America? If you were to select one country as a possible
place for you to live in future, which country would that be and why? Make a list of features and
activities you expect to enjoy in that country.
Canada
Most part of this country lies in cold
and temperate region. Eskimo/Inuit
people live in the cold region. Other
people, mostly the descendents of
migrants from Europe, specially from
France and Britain, live in Canada.
Recently, a large number of people
from Asia have also emigrated to
Canada and live there. French and
English are the official languages of
Canada. The main economic activities
of Canada are as follows:
Forest product: A large part of Canada is covered
with coniferous forest (49%) which is useful for
industries that produce paper, plywood and other
furniture. Lumbering of wood is an economically
significant work. Local rivers are used to transport
logs and wood to bring them down in the city area.
Mines and Minerals: Canada is rich in mines
and minerals. Coal, iron, gold, copper, nickel,
zinc, platinum, petroleum and natural gas are
abundantly available. Many people are involved
in mining business. Similarly, industries related
to mines and minerals are established in different
parts of the country.
Agriculture: Animal farming is one of the major parts of agriculture. Cows, pigs, and
sheep are raised for meat and milk. Canada is the second largest country exporting meat
and milk products to the world. It is because cattle farming is an ideal occupation for
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people living in the temperate grassland
(prairies). The western part of Canada
is famous for apple production and the
eastern side is famous for potato farming.
As Canada has a large coastal area, fishing
is another occupation of the people.
Hydropower: Canadian rivers are useful
for the production of hydroelectricity. In
the cold region, electricity is most necessary
and Canada has produced enough hydro
electricity from western fast-flowing rivers
that originate from the Rocky Mountains.
The USA
It is another large country
of North America. Most of
the people of this country
are European immigrants.
The migration of Europeans
to America began as
early as with Christopher
Columbus’s discovery. There
are people of Asian origin
and some black people
(about 12%). Historically,
blacks were brought or
came from Africa. The
United States has been the
country of the immigrants
and still continues to be an attractive destination for people from all over the world. The
USA is one of the most prosperous nations with the per capita income 55,836$. The major
economic activities of the country are diversified.
Agriculture: Agriculture is one of the significant aspects of US economy. The large scale
commercial farming applying modern technology is very common. Due to commercial
farming, only 3 percent people are involved in agriculture; however USA exports a large
amount of agricultural products (wheat, meat, and milk) to the rest of world.
a. Cotton, sugarcane and rice are produced around the Gulf of Mexico.
b. Appalanchian Mountain range area is famous for fruit, tobacco, almond, and peanut
production.
c. Animal farming has flourished in the central part and around the Great Lakes.
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d. Central plain land is used for producing food grains such as wheat, maize, soybean, etc.
e. Fruits like orange and grapes are produced in the south-west and south-east regions
f. Fishing is famous in the coastal areas.
Mines and minerals: Natural gas, petroleum, iron, coal, copper, etc. are major minerals
found in the US. Gulf areas, Mississippi banks and Alaska are famous for petroleum and
it is exploited in limited amount.
Tourism: To enjoy the natural beauty, many tourists from across the world come to visit
the USA. The Grand Canyons, Disney Land, NASA station, and Hollywood are famous
tourist attractions. So the USA is famous for tourism and more than 20 million people visit
the USA yearly.
Industry and service: Different industries are established in the USA. Many industries
and businesses located in the United States operate globally. Both service-oriented and
production-oriented industries have flourished in the USA.
Hydropower: Local rivers are fully utilized to produce hydroelectric power. The rivers
that originate from Rocky Mountains are suitable for hydro production. However, a large
amount of electricity is also produced by nuclear plants and the wind.
Games and sports, art, education, literature, science and technology are highly developed
in North America. Tourism is one of the major economic activities in both Canada and
the USA. To spend holidays on weekend has become the lifestyle of the people in North
America. They spend holidays involving themselves in musical festivals, family gathering
and taking a tour to different places.
immigrants Glossary
coastal
- persons who come to a particular place to live
- of or near sea or ocean
In-class Activity
The following are some fun facts about Canada and the United States of America. Decide which fact
belongs to which country.
a) This country has the longest sea cost in the world. ...........................
b) This country has a city which is exactly in the middle of North America. ...........................
c) This country has a mountain which is highest in the world, if measured
from the sea bed. ...........................
d) This country has the largest source of fresh water. ...........................
e) This country has a large population speaking French. ...........................
f) This country has a large population speaking Spanish. ...........................
g) The oldest known rocks (250 million years old) are found in this country. . ..........................
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Exercise
A. Write short answers to the following questions.
1. How and why were black people brought to North America?
2. List the main natural resources available in this continent.
3. Compare Canada and the USA in terms of mineral resources.
4. How is the forest utilized in Canada?
5. Point out the major agricultural activities of the USA.
6. Present a short note on the social lifestyle of the people in North America.
7. List out the major economic activities of North America.
8. Write down the reasons behind higher per capita income of Canada and
the USA.
9. Why is the economic condition of North America prosperous?
10. Why are the eastern regions of Canada and the USA more developed than the
western regions? Explain.
11. People in Canada and the USA practise commercial agriculture. What should
Nepal learn from those countries to convert its subsistence farming?
12. Why have Canada and the USA become the hub nations for most of the
people in the world? Write with reasons.
13. Draw a map of Canada and show the distribution of minerals.
14. The USA is one of the major tourist destinations. Explain the statement with
reasons.
15. Describe the given pie chart.
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Physical Map of North America
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Political Map of North America
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Lesson South America
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Pre-reading Activity
Get into small groups of 4-5 students. As a group, select a South American country that you know.
Make a list of at least five interesting facts about the country and share your idea with the class.
Reading Brazilian highlands
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South America is the fourth largest
continent. Its area is 178,40,000 sq.
km. Mostly it lies in the southern
hemisphere within the latitude of
12º north to 55º south and 35º west
longitude to 80º west longitude. There
are mountain ranges, plateaus, low
lands and deserts. There are several
islands in the far south of the continent.
The Panama Canal separates it from
North America in the north. There is the
Pacific Ocean in the west, the Atlantic
Ocean in the east and the Caribbean Sea
lies in the north-east. Northern rivers
end in the Caribbean Sea and southern
rivers end in the Atlantic Ocean. It has
about 420 million population (i.e. about
6 percent of the world population).
Broadly, the continent can be divided
into three regions. They are Eastern
Highlands, Central Lowlands and
Western Mountain Range.
a. Eastern Highlands
It is also called Brazilian Highland because
a vast area of Brazil is composed of the
highlands. Another highland is called the
Guiana’s Highland that lies in Guiana
and Venezuela. Brazilian Highland is
characterized by very old rock bed.
Plateau of Mato Grosso, a part of Brazilian
Highland, lies in the middle of the continent.
b. Central Lowlands
Amazon river Gran chaco
This area runs from the middle part of north to the south east of the continent.
Amazon basin, Gran Chaco and pampas are its three parts from north to south.
Amazon basin is made by Amazon River and southern plains are made by the River
Paraná. The northmost lowland Llanos is made by the Orinoco River.
c. Western Mountain Region
The Andes, world’s longest mountain range lies to
the west of South America which runs from North
and Venezuela to the south of continent. It is 7200
km in length, which contains many peaks above
6000 meters from sea levels. In the middle of the
Andes (north-south), there is the driest desert of the Andes Mountains
world called the Atacama desert and it is located in
Chile. The highest mountain, Mt. Aconcagua (6959 m) lies in Argentina. It is said
that Andes is also in the process of formation and hence frequent earthquakes and
volcanoes occur in this region. Lake Titicaca is another feature of South America. It
is the largest and world’s highest altitude lake, in which ships can navigate.
Cross Section of South America
6000 km Andes
4000 km
Height2000 km Brazilian highlands
West 0
Grand Chaco
500 km 1000 km 1500 km 2000 km 2500 km East
3000 km
Distance
Climate and Vegetation
There are different climatic belts in this region. In the Amazon basin, there is equatorial
type of climate. It contains dense and evergreen forest. Such forest is called selvas. The
Amazon forest is the largest forest in the world which occupies about 7 million square
km. These days, the forest is decreasing rapidly. In and around the Atcama desert, there
is a desert type of climate. Temperate grassland is expanded in the middle of the southern
part. There is vast grassland, which is called pampas and it lies in Argentina and Paraguay.
In the north and north-east, there is another grassland in the Brazilian Highland and
262 Oasis Social Studies Grade - 10
the Guiana Highland. Similarly, different climates are found in the Andes mountains
according to height and slope of the mountain. In the coastal region, an attractive and
suitable climate and vegetation is found. Orinoco River, Amazon River, River Paraná and
its tributaries, River Uruguay, etc. are the major rivers of the continent. In the south, there
are shorter rivers like Negro and Colorado, which run through Argentina. In aggregate,
the climate of south America is diversified, extreme to moderate.
Glossary
plateau - a large flat area in a hill; tableland
navigate - sail
In-class Activity
Divide the class into many small groups. As a group, select one of geographical, climatic,
historical, or social facts about South America. Write a brief description of the fact you have
chosen. Then, present your ideas to the class.
Exercise
A. Write short answers to the following questions.
1. State the area, borders and population size of South America.
2. Compare the Andes Mountain range of South America with the Himalayan
region of Asia and Nepal.
3. Describe the physical structure of South America in brief.
4. What do you mean by ‘Selvas’? How are they formed?
5. There is large area of grassland in South America. Write briefly about it.
6. Describe the climate of South America.
7. With the help of an atlas name any five major rives and 10 major peaks of
South America.
8. In Amazon basin there lies the world's largest tropical evergreen forest. It is
also called selvas. What sort of benefits should Brazil take from this forest?
Explain.
9. How is the Amazon River boon to South America? Explain.
B. Write a long answer to the following question.
Take an outline map or draw a full page outline map of South America and locate
the following:
Pacific Ocean, Tropic of Capricorn, Pampas grassland, Patagonia, Atacama Desert,
Lake Titicaca, Angel Fall, Amazon basin, Andes mountain, Guiana Highlands, year
round rainfall area, Cape Horn, Atlantic Ocean, Caribbean Sea, Panama canal, River
Paraná, Magellan Strait, Galapagos Island, Brazilian Highlands
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Lesson Social and Economic
Activities of South America
6.13
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Pre-reading Activity
South American countries had a slow pace of economic development in the past. In recent times,
they have undergone rapid economic development. Currently undergoing massive growth are the
economies of Argentina, Venezuela, Peru, Brazil, Columbia and Chile. Major industries in South
America is agriculture, which encompasses a vital part of the economy, and other important industries
like fishing, natural resources, handicrafts, etc. Trade is also an integral part of the economy.
National Geography.
What can Nepal learn from those emerging nations mentioned in the text?
Reading
South America is rich in natural resources, which are yet to be utilized. The continent has
short modern history, beginning in the 17th century. The exploitation of the continent’s
resources and the development of its industries were the result of foreign investment and
initiative, especially that of Spain, Great Britain, and the United States. Since World War
II, the nations of South America have sought greater economic independence. An
increasing number of South American industrial centers have developed heavy industries
to supplement the light industries on which they had previously concentrated. The
Europeans and specially Portuguese and Spanish people entered South America from the
beginning of the sixteenth century. Native people were simple and following their own
lifestyle. The Europeans attacked them and controlled. The native Inca civilization has
been destroyed and European life style, political and economic systems were introduced.
Most of the South American people speak Portuguese, Spanish and English. It is the
influence of European colonization.
Agriculture
Subsistence farming is widespread, with about 30
percent of the people working about 15 percent
of the land. Dense forests, steep slopes, and
unfavorable climatic conditions, along with crude
agricultural methods, limit the amount of cultivable
land. Commercial agriculture, especially of the
plantation type, fares better in terms of production
because of the large scale and the opportunity to
use modern, mechanized methods. Being extreme
264 Oasis Social Studies Grade - 10
type of climate, agriculture is concentrated on suitable climatic region. The indigenous
people of the Andes Mountain region rear llama. Llama is a domesticated animal of the
camel family used for wool, meat and carrying loads. Coastal region is used for paddy,
wheat, sugarcane, and coffee production. South-east coastal region of Brazil is famous
for coffee production. Banana is highly produced in different parts. Pampas grassland is
famous for wheat production and animal rearing. Argentina exports wheat and meat in
a large amount to North America and Europe. Dry lands are not suitable for agriculture.
These days agriculture is commercialized and foreign investors are involved to produce
agro-goods in large quantity.
Hydroelectricity
Hydro-electricity is produced from different rivers. More electric power is yet to be
produced. Brazil has the highest potentiality of hydro-electricity in the world. The rivers
that originate from Andes mountains are suitable for hydro projects.
Industry, Mines and Service
Different industries are established in SouthAmerican states.An early obstacle to industrial
growth in South America was the scarcity of coal. The continent has therefore relied on its
petroleum reserves, most notably in Venezuela and also in Argentina, Colombia, Chile,
Peru, and Ecuador, as a source of fuel. South Americans also have gradually developed
their natural-gas reserves. Iron-ore deposits are plentiful in the Guiana and Brazilian
highlands, and copper is abundant in the central Andes mountain region of Chile and
Peru. Other important mineral resources include tin in Bolivia, magnesite and gold in
Brazil, and bauxite in Guyana and Suriname. There is also large gold ore in the Atacama
Desert. The industrial development was initiated by colonial countries and these days
also there are more multinational companies. Brazil and Argentina have such industries
invested by foreigners. Some people are involved in private and government services.
Glossary
inca civilization - the civilization that flourished in ancient Peru in the early
subsistence farming 13th century
- self-sufficiency farming
In-class Activity
Using animals for transportation is very common in some parts of the world. In the
northern part of Nepal, yaks and mules are used for transportation. Likewise, llamas
are used for transportation in Andes Mountain. Prepare a brief report on ‘Using
Animals for Transportation.” In the report, make a list of areas in the world where
people mostly use animals for transportation. Then, offer your views on the necessity
of depending on such a mode of transportation.
Oasis Social Studies Grade - 10 265
Exercise
Write short answers to the following questions.
1. Name the major grasslands found in South America. How are those grasslands
useful?
2. What is llama? How is it useful to the people in the Andes region?
3. Describe the agriculture system of this continent.
4. Brazil and Argentina are two bigger and economically important countries. Make a
list of goods these two countries export.
5. Argentina is world famous for cattle rearing. Give reasons.
6. Which countries of South America are famous for fossil fuel? Mention those fuels.
7. Population distribution of South America is uneven. What are its reasons? Give
examples of highly populated and thinly populated places in the continent.
8. About 80 percent Brazilian people live in urban areas and remaining rural people
also want to migrate to urban areas. Compare this fact with Nepal.
9. 'The economic activities of many South American nations and Nepal are in the same
conditions.' Justify this fact with examples.
10. 'Portuguese and Spanish people attacked the indigenous groups of South America
and established their own culture replacing the indigenous culture'. Clarify the
statement with examples.
11. Write down the major economic activities of South America.
12. Write down the similarities and differences between the Yak found in the Himalayan
Region of Nepal and llama found in the Andes Mountain Range of South America.
13. The data show that South America (specially Brazil) produces the largest amount of
coffee in the world. What are its causes and conditions?
14. Many people in South America are migrating to the urban and coastal regions from
the central part. Due to this the population density in the coastal and urban region
is increasing and has created shortage of manpower in the central part. List out its
possible impacts in the future.
Coffee production in world
17% 46%
19%
18% Index
South America
North America
Africa
Asia
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Physical Map of South America
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Political Map of South America
268 Oasis Social Studies Grade - 10
Lesson Africa
6.14 -clk|msf_
Pre-reading Activity
The following are a few interesting facts about Africa. Discuss them and add at least five other facts
you already know about this continent.
• The African continent has the second largest population in the world, at about one billion
people.
• More than one thousand languages are spoken by the people of Africa. Some estimates put this
number closer to two thousand.
• The largest religion in Africa is Islam, followed by Christianity.
• The African population is approximately 16.41% of the world's population (as of 2017).
• The oldest human remains ever discovered were found in Ethiopia. They are approximately
200,000 years old.
Reading
It is the second largest continent of the world with the area of 30221532 sq. km. It lies
within the boundaries of 370 21” north latitude to 340 51’ south latitude and 17033’ west
longitude to 510 27’ east longitude. It is roughly 800 km. long from north to south. It is
the only continent crossed by Tropic of Cancer (231/20N), Tropic of Capricorn (231/20S) and
the Equator. The Suez Canal and the Red Sea separate Africa from Asia in the north-east,
the Mediterranean Sea and the Strait of
Gibraltar separates it from Europe in
north and north-west. In the east, there is
the Indian Ocean and the Atlantic Ocean
lies on the south.
Physical Structure
Africa is composed of small part of
mountain regions, large part of plain
lands with desert, grassland and
plateaus. In the northwest of Africa,
there is the Atlas Mountain range. In
the middle part, there is a small area
of highland with some peaks. Mount
Kilimanjaro (5895m) is the highest
peak of Africa.
It is also called the mountain of ice and
fire because there is active volcano on
the top of peak and ice is caped around
the volcano. The Nile River (6695km)
originates from Victoria lake and ends
Oasis Social Studies Grade - 10 269
in the Mediterranean Sea. It is estimated that the first human civilization was started
on the bank of the Nile River. In Egypt, there are evidences of ancient civilization.
Towards the east of the Nile River from the Red sea to the Zambezi River, there is a
lowland valley which is called the Great Rift Valley. In this valley there are rift valley
lakes, which are formed from volcano’s crater. To the south east of Africa, there is
a small mountain range called the Drakensburg Mountains. Africa is the continent of
plateaus so there are cliffs of plateaus around the coast of seas and oceans. Similarly, there
are few islands in Africa. The largest island, Madagascar, lies to the east in the Indian Ocean.
Other islands are Mauritious, Sao Tome (near Gabon), Canary Island, Comoros, etc.
Climate and Vegetation
Due to a wide variety of landscapes, most parts of
Africa have extreme climate. Seven different types
of climates are found in it. Around the equatorial
regions and the Congo basin hot and wet climate is
found. The climate in the northern part is extremely
hot and dry due to the presence of large extended
Sahara Desert. In the south-east region there is
tropical monsoon climate. In the high plateaus Savanna grassland
of South Africa, summers are extremely hot and
winters are extremely cold. The Mediterranean type of climate is found in the north west
region of Africa.
The Sahara Desert lies to the north side of Africa which covers one-fifth of total land of
Africa. Kalahari and Namib are the driest deserts in Africa. Savanna grassland is another
important part of Africa. The grasslands cover most of central Africa, extending from
South of the Sahara and the Sahel to North of the continents Southern tip. There are
several types of animals and birds in this region. It is also called zoo of the world and
is protected by national parks and wildlife reserves. Cape Town and Port Elizabeth fall
within this climatic region. The southern part of Africa has pleasant type of climate and
vegetation system.
Glossary
cliff - a high, steep surface of rock
rift valley - a long, steep valley
In-class Activity
Describe the figure in brief.
270 Oasis Social Studies Grade - 10
Exercise
A. Write short answers to the following questions.
1. How is the land form of Africa in general? Explain.
2. Africa is called the dark continent. Give reasons.
3. Why is Savanna region called the “Zoo of the world”? Write with reasons.
4. Locate Africa on the map of world in terms of latitude and longitude.
5. Make a list of famous and unique places of Africa.
6. Africa is very rich in unique type of flora and fauna. Write a paragraph
about it.
7. Explain the physical structure of Africa in brief.
8. There are many desert areas in Africa. What are its reason?
9. List out the major climates found in Africa.
10. The extended grassland of the Savanna region is an important natural
resource of Africa. Make a list of the advantages Africa can take from it.
11. Due to varied landscapes, most of the regions of Africa have extreme climate.
Justify the statement with examples.
B. Write a long answer to the following question:
1. Locate the following on the outline map of Africa:
Madagascar Island, River Nile, Victoria Lake, Drakensberg Mountain, Mt.
Kilimanjaro, Zanzibar Island, Atlas mountain, Evergreen forest, Red Sea, Rift
valley, Cape Town, Indian Ocean, River Niger, Equator, Tropic of Cancer,
Tropic of Capricorn
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Lesson Social and Economic
6.15 Activities of Africa
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Pre-reading Activity
Forestry, the management of trees and other vegetation in forests is an important economic activity
in Africa. On an average, forest products account for 6% of Africa's Gross Domestic Product (GDP),
more than any other continent . This is a result of Africa's abundant forest cover, with 0.8 hectares (2
acres) per person, compared with 0.6 hectares (1.5 acres) globally. In central and western Africa, the
forest cover is the heaviest.
National Geography
Find out what percentage of GDP is occupied by the forest in Nepal.
Reading
For a long time in history, the continent of Africa remained isolated. Therefore, sometimes,
it is also called the Dark Continent. Africa features unique lifestyle. The diversity of this
continent in terms of culture and people’s lifestyles is equally important. It is believed that
people of more than 800 races live in Africa. The ancient Egyptian civilization flourished on
the bank of the Nile River. Even today, many places in Africa possess important historical
and cultural heritage. Ethnic diversity, cultural differences and geographical features are
the important aspects of Africa that need to be seen and understood. In modern times,
many African nations face a host of challenges such as illiteracy, poverty, backwardness,
hunger, diseases, and conflict. Many African nations also suffer from AIDS epidemic that
has affected the active population of Africa. Ebola virus is also widespread in Africa. A
brief introduction to major economic activities in Africa is given below:
Agriculture Coffee production in Africa
Most people living in rural areas have
adopted agriculture. But, agriculture is
mostly limited to subsistence farming.
Farmers often follow primitive methods
of farming. In desert areas, there is lack
of irrigation facility. There are a few
rivers compared to vast land. These days,
some arable lands have been utilized for
commercial farming. Foreign investors
are involved in commercial farming and
produce large quantity of agro-goods to
export to other countries. Coffee, cocoa,
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banana, maize, and beans are common crops of Africa. Animals are reared but not in scientific
way. The camel is a common animal which is used for meat, milk and transportation. These
days, people in some African countries such as Sudan and Somalia have been suffering from
starvation and lack of clean drinking water.
Mines and Minerals
There are large mines of diamond and gold
in South African nations. In most cases,
Europeans business people control over these
mines. So, local people and governments
are unable to take the benefit from these
mines. The Republic of South Africa is rich
in mines like gold, diamond, natural gas and
petroleum. Other minerals commonly found
in this continent are iron, uranium, copper,
etc. If African nations and their people can Gold extraction in Africa
utilize these mines by themselves, it will be
beneficial for development and raising people’s living standard.
Tourism
The Savannah Grassland is the home to animals, birds and other wildlife. It is called the
zoo of the world. These days, many tourists come to visit the Savannah Grassland. There
are numerous national parks and wildlife reserves. Kenya, Tanzania, Burundi, South
Africa are popular tourist destinations. Mt. Kilimanjaro and Mauritius are other attractive
destinations.
Many tourists and researchers also come to study other unique features such as Egyptian
pyramid, Nile Valley Civilization, cultural diversity and the Great Rift Valley. The tourism
industry has become important source for earning foreign currency and creating local
employment. Yet, there are lots of reforms to be made in this sector. Poor infrastructures,
unskilled manpower, and poor security are the major obstacles to the tourism sector.
Industries and Services
Egypt and South Africa are most developed nations among 54 African nations. Other
countries in the coastal region are more developed than the countries in the mid-land.
There are more mining industries than other manufacturing industries. Cotton mills and
iron and steel industries are famous industries in the continent.
Hydroelectricity
Northern and Southern countries produce hydroelectric power. Egypt, Morocco, Libya,
South Africa, and Nigeria produce electricity in large amount. However, climate change
and drought have affected the hydroelectricity production in Africa. The hydropower
sector also attracts foreign investment.
Oasis Social Studies Grade - 10 273
arable Glossary
drought
- suitable for growing crops
- a period of dryness
In-class Activity
The Nile River is gift to Africa. Write any six ways how this river has benefited it.
Exercise
A. Write short answers to the following questions.
1. What are the major economic activities of Africa? Explain in short.
2. Africa has great prospect of tourism. Justify the statement with examples.
3. Name any four major ethnic groups of Africa with their origin.
4. Most of the African nations have become the victim of ethnic conflict. Give
reasons.
5. 'The Great Rift Valley' is a boon to Africa. Give reasons.
6. With the help of an atlas fill up the following table:
Diamond producing Petrol producing Gold producing
countries countries countries
7. Cairo, the capital city of Egypt receives very low rainfall but it has been
developed a lot. What might be the reasons? Write in points.
8. Agriculture is not fully developed in Africa. What are its reasons? Explain.
9. In recent times, tourism is a growing economic activity in Africa. What has
contributed to the development of tourism in Africa?
10. What are the sources of foreign trade in Africa? What kinds of products do
African nations export to other countries?
11. Majority of African nations fall within the category of underdeveloped
nations. What problems do they face regarding development?
12. Write a paragraph on “Mines and Minerals in Africa”.
B. Write a long answer to the following question.
Africa has been trapped by poverty, backwardness, hunger, disease, illiteracy, and conflict.
Make a list of nine different activities that need to be carried out to make Africa peaceful,
beautiful, prosperous and developed.
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Physical Map of Africa
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Political Map of Africa
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Lesson N. America, S. America,
Africa and Nepal
6.16
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Pre-reading Activity
Study the following pictures, in which
Nepalese security personnel are seen.
Discuss the importance of Nepal's
contribution to establishing peace in many
African nations.
Reading
North America, South America, Africa and Nepal are in many ways similar to each
other. Similarities found in great mountain ranges, grasslands, rivers and climates are
the physical-based features. The Atlas and the Drakensberg are the two fold mountain
ranges in Africa. Mt Kilimanjaro is the highest peak of Africa. The Rocky Mountain
Range in western North America is stretched from Alaska to Panama. It is also a fold
mountain range. Mount Elbert (4401m) is the highest summit of the Rocky Mountain
Range. The Andes Mountain Range running north to south along the western coast
of South America is the longest mountain chain in the world. Mt Aconcagua is the
highest peak in it. Nepal has also the Himalayan Mountain Range that boasts of the
tallest peaks in the world. The world's highest peak Mt. Everest (8,848m) lies in Nepal.
Oasis Social Studies Grade - 10 277
The Mississippi, the St. Lawrence, the Missouri and the Colorado are the major rivers
of North America. Like wise the Amazon, the Paraná, the Paraguay of South America
and the Nile, the Congo, the Zambazi and the Niger of the Africa are also popular
rivers in the world. The Koshi, the Gandaki and the Karnali are the large rivers of
Nepal that have great flow of water throughout the year.
Prairies of North America, Campos and llanos of South America, veld of Africa and
Himali kharkas of Nepal are the major grazing areas for livestocks. A large number of
animals are reared in these grasslands.
In terms of social and economic activities North America is far ahead. South American
nations and Nepal to some extent are similar. Comparatively Africa falls behind in
terms of development.
On the basis of distance, Africa is closer to Nepal than North and South America.
There is almost 12 hours of time difference between Nepal and American continents.
From the economic point of view, Nepal has close bilateral relationship with North
American countries. The USA and Canada are important donor countries of Nepal.
There are different projects for which these countries have assisted Nepal. Many
Nepalese students go to the US and Canada for study as well. Similarly, these countries
have also helped Nepal in the peace process. So, Nepal has maintained very friendly
diplomatic relations with the USA and Canada.
Many South American countries are more or less similar to Nepal in terms of
development and people’s living standard. In recent times, Nepal’s diplomatic and
trade relations with South American countries have become closer and stronger.
Many South American countries have signed Nepal’s proposal to declare her as
‘Peace Zone.’ This was one area of interaction Nepal had with many South American
countries. The economic relation between Nepal and African countries is still in the
early phase. Nepal and Egypt have a long diplomatic relation. These days, Nepal’s
trade relation with African countries is on the rise. Many Nepali youths have gone
to African countries for employment but there is no authentic record of Nepalese
working in African nations. Nepali army and Nepal Police are involved in the conflict
278 Oasis Social Studies Grade - 10
management of African nations as part of UN peace keeping force. Nepal Army have
worked in Zaire, Burundi, Sudan, as the peace keeping force. Similarly, Nepal can
learn a lot from African nations on tourism and managing national parks. Nepal can
also learn about the effects of war and political instability from many African nations
that are still struggling to maintain peace and security.
Glossary
diplomatic - involving the task of maintaining good relations among
the governments
conflict management - the practice of being able to identify and handle conflicts
in a sensible, fair and efficient way
In-class Activity
Nepal has friendly relationship with some South American nations. Make a list of South
American countries with which Nepal has diplomatic relations.
Exercise
A. Write short answers to the following questions.
1. Compare the geographical structure of Nepal with Africa, North America
and South America.
2. Write a paragraph about Nepal’s relation with African nations.
3. Name the African nations where Nepalese peace keeping forces are working.
4. The USA and Canada are donor countries of Nepal. Describe the field of
assistance and bilateral welfare work between Nepal and these countries.
5. Compare the problems of Nepal and Africa. Are the causes of problems
similar or dissimilar?
6. In Nepal 65% people are involved in agriculture whereas in the US, only 2%
people are engaged in agriculture. Yet, the United States is one of the major
exporters of food items whereas Nepal suffers from scarcity of food. What
might be the reason for the low agricultural productivity in Nepal?
7. Nepal has friendly relationship with some South American nations. Make a
list of South American countries with which Nepal has diplomatic relations.
B. Draw maps of North America, South America, Africa and Nepal
and show the major peaks, rivers, lakes and grasslands in them.
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Lesson Natural Disasters:
6.17 Earthquake and Tsunami
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Pre-reading Activity
Read the news about earthquake and discuss the questions that follow.
On Saturday, Baisakh 12, 2072 at 11:56 a.m., a 7.8 magnitude earthquake recorded by Nepal's
National Seismologic Centre (NSC), struck Barpak in the historic district of Gorkha. Nepal had
not faced a natural shock of comparable magnitude for over 80 years. The catastrophic earthquake
was followed by hundreds of aftershocks including 6.8 Richter Scale which struck 17 days after
the big one on Baisakh 29, 2072 with the epicentre at Dolakha district. To date, there are over 8,790
causalities and 22,300 injuries. It is estimated that the lives of 8 million people have been affected
by these earthquakes. 31 districts have been affected out of which 14 were declared crisis-hit for the
purpose of prioritizing rescue and relief operations. The earthquake caused extensive damage to
infrastructures like road buildings, temples, monuments, etc.
Nepal News
• What could be some of the reasons leading to the massive destruction during the
earthquake of 2072 that hit Nepal?
• As a student, what suggestions could you offer to respond to the earthquake disaster?
Reading
Different types of natural processes are occurring inside and outside the earth's surface.
Due to this the sudden and extreme events may occur which lead to many casualties and
damage of properties. We call them natural disasters. Earthquakes, tsunamis, volcanoes,
floods, landslides, hurricanes, tornadoes, cyclones, droughts, thunderstorms, hailstorms,
heat waves, avalanches, glacier explosions, etc. are natural disasters. Here we will discuss
about earthquake and tsunami.
Earthquake
Vertical or horizontal vibration of earth surface
is called earthquake. It occurs frequently on the
earth surface but earthquake is unpredictable.
Up and down vibration is called vertical quake
whereas if the surface moves to and fro, it is
called horizontal quake. Generally, between
the two types of earthquakes with the same
magnitude, the horizontal earthquake tends to
be more destructive.
The centre from where the vibration starts
inside the earth surface is called Hypocentre.
It is the initiation point of the earthquake. The
wave of quake spreads from this point and
280 Oasis Social Studies Grade - 10
we feel the vibration on the surface. To measure the magnitude of an earthquake, an
instrument called Seismograph is used. It measures the intensity, location of the epicentre,
and distribution and speed of the earthquake. It is measured in Richter scale.
Causes of Earthquake
There are two major causes of earthquake.
a. Volcanic Eruption
During a volcanic eruption, magma comes onto the earth surface, causing vibrations
due to the force. Once the magma comes out, a vacuum is formed inside the earth
surface. To fill in the space, the surface part falls down and again causes vibration.
Earthquakes caused by the volcanic eruption affect a smaller area than other types
of earthquakes.
b. Tectonic Disturbances
Most of the quakes occur due to tectonic disturbances. Inside the earth surface,
continental mass moves floating on the molten magma. When the plate moves
(like floating objects on water surface), then it strikes another plate and produces
vibration with great force and intensity. Sometimes, such plates or sub-plates bend,
break or shrink, causing earthquakes. From the bottom of sea or ocean, water enters
the surface of earth and reaches the hot area below the crust of earth. It changes into
vapour due to heat. Such vapour gives pressure and moves the land parts causing
vibration. Sometimes, it also causes volcanic eruption. The earthquakes caused by
tectonic disturbances are more destructive than the volcanic earthquakes.
Seismograph
It is an instrument that measures the nature (magnitude, origin, direction, etc. of an
earthquake and collects information about it. A heavy ball is attached to a string or rod
with a writing needle. To measure horizontal earthquake the ball is hanged on a string.
A drum, with a piece of graph paper, is set just below the ball that touches the writing
needle. To measure vertical earthquakes, the ball is adjusted with a spring as shown in
figure ‘B’. The needle vibrates according to the magnitude of earthquake. Figure A is used
to measure horizontal vibration.
Oasis Social Studies Grade - 10 281
Effect of earthquake
In a broad sense, the effects of earthquake are of two types:
1. Destructive: Earthquakes destroy man-made structures like houses,
buildings, roads, bridges, causing damage to lives and property. It makes
people homeless and disabled. For example, the massive earthquake
that hit Nepal in 2072 BS killed a large number of people and destroyed
infrastructures.
2. Effects on the earth surface: New land forms such as hills, ditches, valleys,
may evolve form an earthquake. Landslides, floods, formation of new lakes
or destruction of old ones are other effects that the earthquake produces on
the earth surface.
Seismic Regions
Mainly seismic regions, highly earthquake prone regions, are around Pacific Ocean which
include the Rocky and Andes Mountain ranges, East Asian islands like Korea, Japan, and
South-east Asian islands. These regions are called ‘Fire Ring of Pacific’ because of high
probability of earthquakes. Other high-risk earthquake prone regions are the Himalayan
range and the Alps of Europe.
Safety Measures during an Earthquake
Earthquake occurs without any symptom or pre-knowledge. So, we should be careful
about the possible effects of earthquake. We cannot avoid it but we can reduce the effects of
earthquake.
The following are some safety measures:
●● We should follow the earthquake resistant technology and method while
constructing building and other structures.
282 Oasis Social Studies Grade - 10
●● We should not rush carelessly.
●● Utensils should be kept firmly in a proper place.
●● We should remain inside the house, if we are already there.
●● We should not stay on a veranda, near the electric pole, hoarding board or near a
gas cylinder, glass window, or electric switches, etc.
●● We should be up-dated with the information.
●● We should follow duck, cover, hold method.
●● We should always keep the first aid kit with dry non-perishable food, water bottle,
torch light and first aid materials.
Tsunami
The word ‘tsunami’ that developed in late 19th century (1896 AD) has been derived from
two Japanese words: tsu- harbor and nami- wave. Thus, its etymological meaning is wave
in the harbor or simply harbour waves.
A tsunami is a series of enormous ocean waves caused by natural force under water. The
waves sometimes reach a height of over 100 feet onto the shoreline. The initial wave of a
tsunami is not so strong but successive waves get bigger and stronger. Tsunami originates
from a vertical movement of the sea floor and results on the displacement of a big water
mass. The waves of tsunami have extremely long and strong wavelength which results
in the emergence of devastating force. This force causes lots of destruction around the
seashore and coastal regions. The speed or velocity of tsunami in the deepest ocean
exceeds 600 miles per hour. It gradually decreases as it comes towards the coastline. But
its wave height increases and sometimes the water level rises to over 100 feet.
On December 26, 2004 a tsunami that occurred due to an earthquake of 9.1 Richter scale at
the coast of Sumatra, Indonesia had a great impact over the whole region around Indian
Ocean. The tsunami battered the low-lying coast that resulted in more than 400 thousand
casualties. Likewise the earthquake and tsunami that occurred on March 11, 2011 at the
coastal region of Japan resulted in the death of 15,894 people with 6152 injured and 2562
people missing.
Causes
Tsunamis are the results of the movements of the earth under the sea. The major causes
are as follows.
i. Earthquake
Tsunami waves are mainly created due to large underwater earthquakes, mainly
at the bottom of sea or ocean. But not every earthquake tends to create tsunami.
According to seismologists only earthquakes with magnitude more that 7 Richter
scale can produce a major tsunami. When a strong earthquake comes under the
sea or ocean, it pushes up the larger continental plates. This results in the sudden
displacement of an enormous amount of sea or ocean water. We call it tsunami. This
tsunami spreads outward in all the directions at the epicenter of an earthquake.
ii. Landslide
Submarine landslide or coastal landslide usually caused by an earthquake also
Oasis Social Studies Grade - 10 283
causes tsunami. Due to rockfalls, icefalls or underwater landslides large portion of
water gets displaced which results in tsunami.
iii. Volcanic Eruption or Explosion
Volcanic eruptions or volcanic disturbances can also cause the displacement of large
volume of water. This leads to tsunami.
iv. Extraterrestrial Collision
Due to extraterrestrial collision (i.e asteroids, meteors) there is a possibility of
displacing large volume of water causing tsunami. Although not recorded till now,
there is a possibility of tsunami when those bodies (asteroids, meteors) strike the
ocean or sea.
Effects
Tsunamis are giant waves that cause the loss of life, property and economy. It results in
massive loss of human life, contamination of water, death of many wild and domestic
animals, destruction of many plants and natural resources, stalinization of soil that affects
long-term yields of crops, collapsing of infrastructures like transportation, electricity,
hospitals, buildings, etc. Beside this, it can also spread the epidemic diseases.
Safety Measures
Since tsunamis are disastrous by nature, the following safety measures can be taken ahead.
Before
• Make sure that your house is in a safe area. If not, be familiar with the evacuation
orders. Keep in touch with the warning signal.
• Make several evacuation plans. Let your family know the way to respond to a tsunami.
• Be aware of the tsunami facts. Share your knowledge and experience with your
neighbours and relatives.
During
• Immediately evacuate the tsunami region and move to a higher safe area.
• Listen to radio or television to be updated with the latest emergency information.
After
• Keep in touch with the latest information about tsunami.
• Help injured or trapped persons. Give first aid where appropriate.
• Stay out of the vulnerable buildings and get inside when authorities give green signal.
Glossary
avalanche - a large amount of snow or ice falling from a mountain
to and fro - from one point to another
magma - hot molten rock below the surface of the earth
tectonic - changes in the structure of the Earth surface
extraterrestrial - coming from or existing outside the planet earth
284 Oasis Social Studies Grade - 10
In-class Activity
Get into small groups of 4-5 students. As a group, prepare a pamphlet to make people aware about
earthquake disaster offering measures to minimize the destruction.
Exercise
A. Write short answers to the following questions.
1. What is earthquake? Have you ever experienced the tremor of an earthquake?
What did you do at that time?
2. What is tsunami? Write down its effects.
3. What is a seismograph? How does it work? Explain with a figure.
4. What are the causes of earthquake?
5. There are other seismic areas in some parts of the world. Study the Atlas
showing seismic areas. Which areas of Nepal are prone to earthquake?
6. Differentiate between
• Epicenter and hypocenter
• Horizontal and vertical earthquake
• Earthquake and tsunami
7. What safety measures can you take before, during and after an earthquake
and tsunami? Discuss in the class and make some points.
8. Write about the earthquakes that occurred in Nepal on Magh 2, 1990, Bhadra
5, 2045 and Baisakh 12 and 29, 2072.
9. 'We cannot stop the earthquake but we can minimize its effects.' Justify the
statement.
10. Fill up the following table with necessary information.
Causes of Effects of Causes of Effects of
Earthquakes Earthquakes Tsunami Tsunami
Self-discovery: Project Work
During an earthquake, people often run out of houses. Reports say that many get injured
while jumping through windows and so on. Actually, we should not run and rush out
of houses. So, people do not seem to be aware of the safety measures recommended to
minimize the effects of an earthquake. In this project, design materials such as placards,
posters, slogans, safety tips display boards to raise awareness about safety measures.
Oasis Social Studies Grade - 10 285
Lesson Map Work
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Pre-reading Activity
Map makers, called cartographers, create maps for different purposes. Vacationers use road maps
to plot routes for their trips. Meteorologists use weather maps to prepare forecasts. City planners
decide where to put hospitals and parks with the help of maps that show land features.
National Geographic Education
Can you mention other people who use the maps?
Reading
A map is the representation of real objects or places. It gives information about location,
distance, and directions about a place or object. While drawing a map, one should include
as much information as possible. However, the map is drawn in a small area or a piece of
paper and it is difficult to show all the details. Therefore, we should use symbols to give
information. A layperson should be able to find actual places or things by reading the
map.
Symbols are used in the map to show particular information. The symbol is the
representation of real objects and gives conceptual image of the objects. For example,
to show forest, one or few tree-figures are drawn. If we see a tree like figure, we
imagine forest or any kind of vegetation. Furthermore, to show the different kinds
of forest, the shape and size of figure may be different. Similarly, different colours
are used to show agricultural land, plateau, or water, etc. To show water, generally
blue colour is used. Dark blue colour means deep water and light blue colour means
shallow water. Colour lines are used to show altitude. If we write everything on the
map, it would be cramped and difficult to read. Symbols and the objects they stand for
should be indicated at the corner of a map or outside the map-frame.
Informative maps
Things Symbol Things Symbol Things Symbol
Forest River Rail-way
Mountain range Bridge Rope-way
Mountain Peak Road Cities
Airport Protected areas Industry
Temple Pass Church
Lake Grassland Animals
286 Oasis Social Studies Grade - 10
Maps are drawn with a specific purpose and they are meant for particular readers or
users. The type of message given in a map depends on whom the map is intended for. For
example, a demographer would like information about population distribution whereas a
tourist would like to see information related to places, locations, and directions. Similarly,
a person who wants to migrate to a different place might want to know about the new
place and information related to climate, water resource, forest, etc. A ‘Thematic Map’
gives such detailed information. The thematic map is drawn according to the need of
people.
How to draw a map of Nepal?
Draw a rectangle of 20× 12 square centimetre and divide it into 4cm, 6cm, 6cm and 4cm
parts vertically, again divide it into 4cm, 4cm and 4cm horizontally.
Draw the figure shown below on the graph from left to right.
You can use the numbers as shown in the figure to remember the parts of Nepal; like:
1 represents Mt. Api, 2 for Mt. Changla, 3 for Mt. Mustang, 4 for Mt. Ganesh, 5 for Mt.
Langtang, 6 for Mt. Gaurishankar, 7 for Mt. Everest, 8 for Mt. Kanchanjangha, 9 for
Mahendranagar, 10 for Nepalgunj, 11 for Lumbini, 12 for Chitawan National Park, 13 for
Birgunj, 14 for Janakpur, 15 for Koshi River and 16 for Jhapa.
After drawing the map of Nepal, put the northline on top of the figure, give suitable title,
indicate the scale at the botton of the map (i.e. 1cm = 40km), put the boundary line on all
its sides and draw borderline to make it attractive.
2
1
3
9 4 8
10 56 7
11 12
13 14 15 16
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cramped Glossary
demographer
- uneasy
- one who deals with the statistical study of human
populations
In-class Activity
Draw a map of your community and show the important places in it.
Exercise
A. Write short answers to the following questions.
1. What is a map ? What are the basic elements of a good map ? Mention them.
2. Give the appropriate symbols to the following facts.
i. wetland ii. desert iii. sea iv. forest
3. What is the thematic map? Give its significance.
Step 24: . Is good skill required to make a map ? Discuss in the class.
5. Write a paragraph on your first experience of making a map.
B. Write long answers to the following questions.
1. Draw a map of your community showing important information such as
houses, community service centres, and other buildings. Use appropriate
symbols in your map.
2. Draw a full page map of Nepal and show the following items.
- Kaligandaki, Helambu, Prithivi Highway, Koshi Tappu Wildlife Reserve,
Dipayal, Cotton Production area, Tea production area
- River Arun, Jaleshwor, Mt. Fishtail, Araniko Highway, Khaptad National
Park, Rara Lake, Mt. Saipal
- Solukhumbu, Makalu Barun National Park, Parsa Wildlife Reserve, Jute
production area, Langtang Himal, East-West Highway, Tansen, Phewa
Lake
- Mt Everest, Sunkoshi river, Madan Bhandari Highway, Tilicho lake, Babai
River, Muktinath, Namche Bazaar, Dhulikhel, Butwal, Gaurishanker
Himal, Bardiya National Park, Baglung Kalika Temple
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Lesson Different Methods of
6.19 Tracing Map and Modern
Applicable Map Technology
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Pre-reading Activity
Can you mention other people who use the maps?
Do you understand what Google is ? How does it help to find or locate a place? Discuss in the class.
Reading
Cartography is the science of making maps. It helps us to communicate spatial information
effectively. It shows the actual location of any place or objects on earth's surface.
There are a lot of changes in tracing a map nowadays due to the advancement of
information and technology. The following are the methods in map tracing in use:
a. Free Tracing Method
We can trace a map observing the map in depth or just observing superficially. Even
if it is difficult to prepare a perfect map, we can prepare a perfect one in repeated
efforts. Most of the people use this method for the first time.
b. Carbon Paper Method
This is the method in which a readymade map can be copied on a sheet of paper
with the help of carbon paper.
c. Tracing Method
The lower basemap of the glass has to be pasted on the lower part the glass fitted
table installing a tubelight. Thereafter, plain paper of appropriate size is put on the
upper part of the table. After the tubelight is switched on the shape of the map is
seen clearly on plain paper due to its light.
d. Photocopy Method
The basemap is printed using a photocopy machine. No efficiency is acquired from
it except fulfilling its requirement.
e. OHP (Over Head Projector)
By reflection with the help of OHP a map made on transparent plastic is shown on
the wall and a map is drawn. This method is out of use these days.
Oasis Social Studies Grade - 10 289
f. Stencil Method
In this method an essential outline of a map is drawn in the beginning. There after,
necessary copies are made through the lithography using a stencil machine. This
method is rarely used.
g. Square Method
Squares of the same size are drawn on plain paper. We have to remember the
rooms in which lines including the borders of the basemap fall. Lines of the map
are sketched just like the basemap on the square paper prepared for drawing a map
remembering each of the rooms. Thus, a new map can be ready just like basemap.
Through it a map can be enlarged or reduced as per the requirement. It is more
reliable method of drawing map manually.
h. GIS Method
It is a method with modern technology to sketch a map with the help of special
software of computer. At present in most of the countries maps are produced and
processed with the help of Geographic information system (GIS). Nowadays, it is
the most friendly software to produce maps in different scale and colour. Generally
maps in Nepal are made through GIS.
i. Template Method
In this method, a map is out and provided in the form of a frame or a block. The
ready block is kept on plain paper without shaking it and marking is done around
it. Lastly if any lines are missed out a complete map is made joining them.
After the outline map is drawn using any method various data are kept with
appropriate symbols so that everyone can understand. A map is a universal
language. Therefore, symbols of international practice have to be used to make
everyone identify and understand.
Today different technologies have been developed that have enabled us to get the
global information in a quick and easy way.
Modern Applicable Map Technologies
Geographic Information System (GIS)
The term GIS was first used by Roger Tomlinson in 1968 in his paper "A Geographic
Information System for Regional Planning". It is a broad and modern concept in the
cartography.
GIS are computer based systems that enable users to acquire, store, capture, collect,
process and analyze the geographic information or display spatial data. It is an integrated
system of geography and information tied together. It provides an electronic information
about different natural and man-made features of the earth.
GIS databases include a wide range of information comprising geographic, social,
political, environmental and demographic. As it brings together information from
290 Oasis Social Studies Grade - 10
multiple sources, it benefits a lot to organizations and industries. It also performs much
complicated analytical functions and visualizes the real world in the form of maps, globes,
charts, tables and reports.
Application
• Mapping
• Transportation planning
• Telecom and networking service
• Urban planning
• Disaster management and mitigation
• Navigation
• Natural resource management
• Banking
• Surveying
• Planning, etc.
Global Positioning System (GPS)
The Global Positioning System (GPS) is a global satellite based navigation system that
provides users with continuous, worldwide position with great accuracy. It consists
of 24 satellites, that circle the earth once every 12 hours (i.e. twice a day) and provides
worldwide information on position, time and velocity.
GPS stellites are powered by solar energy and backup batteries onboard help them keep
on moving in absence of solar power. The GPS satellites are orbiting the earth about 12000
miles above us at a speed of roughly 7, 000 miles an hour. It allows one to record or create
locations from places on the earth and help him/her navigate to and from those places.
The GPS was created by the United States Department of Defense. In the beginning it was
only used for military purpose, but later in 1980s it was allowed for civilian use.
The GPS satellites act as reference points from which receivers on the ground detect
their position and those satellites provide us our latitude, longitude, altitude, velocity
and time. It works in any weather conditions anywhere in the world 24 hours a day. Its
subscription fees or setup charges are free of cost. Information from software like google
earth G.P.S. in communication appliances like mobile and computer is the modern source
of geographical information.
Application
• Location
• Timing
• Mapping
Oasis Social Studies Grade - 10 291
• Tracking
• Atmospheric studies
• Mining, etc.
Glossary
spatial - relating to space
aerial - relating to air
In-class Activity
Draw a full page map of Nepal using free tracing method.
Exercise
A. Write short answers to the following questions.
1. How do you define Google map? Explain its application.
2. Write different methods of making map. Explain.
3. Why are Over Head Projector (OHP) method and Stencil Method less
in use? Discuss and write.
4. Why is square method convenient to draw a map?
5. 'Map work has become easy due to Internet.' Justify the statement.
6. Differentiate between GIS and GPS.
7. How is carbon paper method different from tracing method? Write in points.
8. Write down the application of GIS.
9. What are the applications of GPS? Explain.
10. How do Google maps help us? Write in points.
Self-discovery: Project Work
Most of the students in your class might have an access to the Internet. Make
two groups. Ask one group to bring map of Nepal taken through GIS and the
other group through GPS. Now compare two different maps and draw the
conclusion.
292 Oasis Social Studies Grade - 10
Unit Review
In this unit, we have learnt that:
●● Climate is the average atmospheric condition of a place within a long period of
time and it is different from weather.
●● Climate of place is influenced by factors such as latitude, altitude, distance from
the sea, ocean current, nature of wind, and presence of mountains.
●● Natural vegetation is dependent on climate.
●● People’s lifestyle is also determined by the existing climate of the region.
●● In the tropical zone (between 300 North and 300 South), we basically find equatorial
climate, tropical desert climate and tropical monsoon climate.
●● Temperate zone (between 300 to 600 latitudes on both hemispheres) has a range of
climate—Mediterranean climate, temperate grassland climate, temperate coastal
climate, and temperate monsoon climate.
●● In the northern most region, we find polar climate and sub-polar climate.
●● North America is the third largest continent with many rivers and lakes.
●● Western mountain region, central lowlands, and eastern highlands are the main
geographical regions of North America.
●● South America is the fourth largest continent divided into three main geographical
regions: Eastern Highlands, Central Lowlands, and Western Mountain Region.
●● Africa is the second largest continent with large desert areas as well as mountains
and grasslands.
●● Natural disasters are the catastrophes caused by different natural forces which
have adverse effects on plants and animals.
●● Earthquake is a natural phenomenon that occurs due to volcanic eruption and
tectonic disturbances.
●● With some planning in building structure and settlement, the destruction of an
earthquake can be minimized.
●● Tsunamis are huge waves caused by earthquakes or volcanic eruptions beneath
the sea.
●● Maps are vital sources of information about geography, population, major areas
and so on.
●● GIS and GPS are the modern technologies used to get the global information.
Oasis Social Studies Grade - 10 293
Test Your Knowledge
A. Write short answers to the following questions.
1. Write differences between climate and weather.
2. Name two countries that lie in each climatic zone.
3. What is an oasis and where is it commonly found?
4. Draw the symbol for railway, grassland, canal and industry in the map.
5. Mention factors which affect the climate.
6. Which habitat is called the "zoo of the world"? Write with reasons.
7. What do you mean by selvas? Write its significance.
8. Name the common minerals of Africa.
9. Differentiate between Taiga and Tundra.
10. Why is South America called the continent of extremes?
11. Name the common animals found in the tropical monsoon climate.
12. North America has diverse topography. Explain this statement.
13. Nature of vegetation varies according to the climate. Justify.
14. Differentiate between Temperate and Monsoon climates on the basis of
location, climatic condition, vegetation and economic activities.
15. Why are tropical monsoon regions highly populated?
16. Describe the lifestyle of the people living in cold climate.
17. Why has North America developed more than Africa? Write down the
reasons.
18. Mention any four safety measures in case of an earthquake.
19. Complete the following table:
SN Name Location Characteristics
1 Rocky Mountain range
2 Tundra
3 Great Rift Valley
4 Igloos
5. Andes Mt. range
6. Taiga region
7. Prairies
8. Pampas
9. Amazon basin
10. Savanna region
294 Oasis Social Studies Grade - 10
B. Write long answers to the following questions.
1. Draw the outline map of Nepal and locate:
a) Ganesh Himal
b) Araniko Highway
c) Mukitnath Temple
d) Kaligandaki Hydropower Project
e) Makalu Barun National Park
f) Olangchunggola
2. Draw the outline map of Nepal and locate the following:
a) Mt. Annapurna
b) Tsho Rolpa
c) Madan Bhandari Highway
d) Coffee Production Area
e) Mahakali River
f) Chandannath
3. In a map of Africa, insert the following:
a) Cape Town
b) Mt. Kilimanjaro
c) Victoria Lake
d) Atacama Desert
e) Congo River
f) Strait of Gibraltar
g) Mediterranean Sea
h) Somali Peninsula
i) Gold Mining Area
4. In a map of South America, locate the following:
a) Andes Mountain Range b) Angel Falls
c) Panama Canal d) Rio de Jeneirio
e) Pampas f) Oil producing area
g) Brazilian Highlands h) Lake Titicaca
i) Amazon basin
5. In a map of North America, locate the following:
a) Lake Superior b) Grand Canyon
c) Colorado River d) Death Valley
e) San Francisco f) Greenland
g) Mount Mackenzie h) Taiga Region
Oasis Social Studies Grade - 10 295
Key Terms
air mass: large portion of the air having homogeneous or similar characters being,
sometimes sub continental in size , that may move over to the earth's surface as a
distinct , relatively , homogeneous entity
Alpine: the part of a mountain above the tree line, but below permanent snow
alpine: the part of a mountain above the tree line, but below permanent snow
altitude : the distance above sea level
avalanche: a large amount of snow or ice falling from a mountain
bay: a wide indentation(cut or inlet) into the land formed by the sea or a lake
biomas: the weight of a population of organisms or the total weight of all the
organisms in a particular habitat
biome: a major ecological community of organisms occupying a large area(eg.
tropical rainforest, desert, tundra, etc.)
campos: the tropical grassland found in Brazil
canal : an artificial water way for transportation or irrigation
canyon: a long , narrow valley between high cliffs , often with a stream flowing
through it
citrus fruits : fruits that contain citric acid , eg. grapes, lemons, etc.
climate: the prevailing or average weather conditions of a place , as determined by
the temperature and meteorological changes over a period of years
climatic zone: the divisions of the Earth's climates based on the average temperatures
, average rainfall and vegetation
coastal: the region near a coast or sea
cocoa: a brown powder made from roasted cocoa beans that is used in chocolate and
beverage
conflict management: the practice of being able to identify and handle conflicts in a
sensible , fair and efficient way
coniferous forest: a type of evergreen forest having cone shape trees carrying needle
-shaped leaves
continental climate: a climate characterized by cold winters and hot summers in
areas where the prevailing winds have travelled occurs large land areas
continental climate: a climate characterized by hot summers , cold winters and little
rainfall, typical of the interior of a continent
cyclone: an extremely large , powerful and destructive storm with very high winds
296 Oasis Social Studies Grade - 10
that turn around an area of low pressure
deciduous forest: forests where a majority of trees lose their foliage (leaves) at the
end of typical growing season
desert:an area where evaporation exceeds precipitation for whatever cause with
consequent lack of vegetation less than 25 cm of rain will produce a desert in almost
any temperature range
downs: the temperate grassland in Australia
duck, cover, hold: one of the tips to protect yourself from an earthquake which means
duck down to the floor, take cover under a sturdy table or desk and hold on until the
shaking stops
earthquake : a shaking or trembling of the crust of the earth, caused by underground
volcanic forces or by breaking and shifting of rock( tectonic movement) beneath the
surface
epicenter: the area of the earth's surface directly above the place of origin , or focus
(hypocenter) of an earthquake
equatorial climate: climate found in a belt on either side of the equator on low ground
characterized by constant high temperature and humidity but little range day and
night or through the year
equatorial region: the region lying between 5˚ N and 5˚ S of the equator characterized
with very hot throughout the year
Eskimos: an aboriginal people especially in northern Canada
gorges: a valley with narrow and steep walls often with a stream flowing through it
GPS: ( Global Positioning System) a global satellite based navigation system that
provides users with continuous , worldwide position with great accuracy
Great Lakes: a group of five freshwater lakes of central North America between
the United States and Canada which include Superior, Michigan, Huron, Erie and
Ontario
Hausa: the second largest tribe in the whole of Africa mainly in northwestern Nigeria
hemisphere: one half of the earth's surface when it is bisected through its centre
horizontal quake: to and fro movement of the surface due to earthquake
humid: a relatively high level of water vapor in the atmosphere
hypocenter: the focus point of an earthquake or the point below the surface of the
earth from where the earthquake originates
igloo: an Eskimo house or hut, usually dome-shaped and built of blocks of packed
snow
Inca civilization: the civilization that flourished in ancient Peru in the early 13th
Oasis Social Studies Grade - 10 297
century
Inuit: a member of a group of native people of northern North America, inhabiting
area from Greenland and East Canada to Alaska
land breeze: the coastal breeze blowing at night from land to sea, caused by the
difference in the rate of cooling of their respective surfaces
latitudee: angular distance , measured in degrees , north or south from the equator
leeward: one that is protected from the prevailing wind
llama: a ruminant especially in the Andes of South America without humps that
belongs to the camel family and used as a beast of burden and as a source of wool ,
meat and milk
llanos: region of characteristic tropical Savanna vegetation or grassland in Venezuela,
located primarily in the plains of Orinoco River
longitude: distance east or west on the earth's surface measured as an arc of the
equator (in degrees up to 180˚or by the difference) between the meridian passing
through a particular place and a standard or Prime Meridian usually the one passing
through Greenwich, England
lumbering : the work of business of cutting down trees and preparing timber((timber
sawed into beams , planks, boards, etc. of convenient sizes)
magma: hot molten rock below the surface of the earth
Mahabharat range: a major east west mountain range with elevations 1500 to 2700
metres along the crest, paralleling the much higher Great Himalaya Range
map: a symbolic representation of selected characteristics of a place , usually drawn
on a flat surface
Masai: a Nilotic ethnic group inhabiting central and southern Kenya and northern
Tanzania
mediterranean climate: Mediterranean Sea characterized climate having hot and
dry summer , warm and rainy winters
mediterranean region: the region ranging from 30˚ to 45˚ latitudes in the northern
hemisphere and 30˚ to 40˚ latitudes in the southern hemisphere with climate hot and
dry in summer and warm and humid in winter
monsoon forest: forest having bread-leaved trees losing their leaves in the hot dry
season
mountain climate: the type of climate which is mainly determined by relief and
altitude rather than by latitude and situation with respect to the sea
natural disaster : events caused by forces of nature that cause destruction of lives
and properties
oasis: a small fertile or green area in a desert region, usually having a spring or well
298 Oasis Social Studies Grade - 10
or similar water source
oceanic current : the strong flow of surface ocean water in a prevailing direction
pampas: the vast temperate grassy plains of southern , south America, especially in
Argentina
pass: a low place in a mountain range through which an access to next place is
gained
peninsula: an area of land almost completely surrounded by water except for an
isthmus connecting it with the mainland
Plankton: the small or microscopic organism found floating near the surface of
water and is the major source of food for fish
plateau: a large flat area in a hill tableland
prairies: enormous stretches of flat temperate grassland with moderate temperature
in North America
pulp: pulverized or mixed with water that is used for making paper
Pygmis: the oldest indigenous people in central Africa chiefly found in Congo
rain shadow: an area having relatively less amount of rainfall due to obstruction of
mountain or hills in the path of rain bearing winds and rain bearing clouds
rainforest: a dense, evergreen forest occupying a tropical region having abundant
rainfall throughout the year
Red Indians: indigenous people of North America
reef: a line of rocks or sand just above or just below the surface of the sea, often
dangerous to ship
richter scale: a scale , ranging from 1 to 10 , for indicating the intensity of an
earthquake
rift valley: a valley formed by the sinking of land between two parallel faults
river basin: an area drained by a river and its tributaries between 60˚ and 75˚north
latitudes mostly along the Arctic coast of North America and Eurasia
Sahil: extended tropical grassland in northern Africa
salves: an extended grassland of Paraguay
sea breeze: a wind blowing from sea to land during the day when the land surface
is warmer
seismic waves: waves created by an earthquake
seismograph: a sensitive apparatus that records the various earth motions created
by earthquake
seismograph: an instrument to measure the magnitude , location, of an earthquake
Oasis Social Studies Grade - 10 299
seismology: the scientific study of earthquakes and other earth vibrations
selvas: a dense tropical rainforest usually having a cloud cover as that in the Amazon
basin of South America
slash and burn culture: typical subsistence agriculture of primitive societies in the
tropical rainforest
staple: basic food raw material
steppes: a temperate grassland in Eurasia
strait : a narrow strip of water having land at each site and connecting two larger
bodies of land
subsistence agriculture : agriculture designed primarily which are not for sale but
provide just enough to feed the farmer and his family
summer monsoon: a moisture laden wind of south Asia that blows from the south
west in summer
summer monsoon: the moisture laden wind that blows in summer and possess a
strong tendency to coverage , rise and production
taiga region: the swampy coniferous forest (spruce, pine, fish , etc.) of high northern
latitudes, located between the tundra and steppes of Siberia
temperate coastal: the region found between 45° and 60° north latitudes and 40°and
50° south latitudes with moderate climate
temperate grassland : the region ranging from 45° to 60° north latitudes and 30°to
40° south latitudes with low rainfall and extended grassland
temperature monsoon: the region ranging between 30° and 45° north latitudes and
30° and 40° south latitude with hot summer and cold and dry water.
temperature: the degree of hotness and coldness of a body
The Great Rift Valley : vast geographical and geological feature that runs north
to south for some 5,000 km from northern Syria in south west Asia to central
Mozambique in East Africa
thematic map: a systematic representation of an area normally featuring a single
distribution as its map data eg. rivers , mountains , population, etc.
topography: the physical appearance of the natural features of an area of land,
especially the shape of its surfaces
tornado: a violent and destructive storm near the sea and ocean in which powerful
winds move around a central point
trade wind: a dry wind or a typical planetary surface winds blowing in low latitudes
from the subtropical highs toward the inter tropical convergence zone from the NE
in the north and the SE in the south
300 Oasis Social Studies Grade - 10
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